


Knee High by the Fourth of July

by thesentimentalist



Series: Summer of Stupid 2020 [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: A Shot of Nonsense With a Sincerity Chaser, American Goofic, Angst, But Mostly Humor, Cultural Differences, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Languages and Linguistics, M/M, Midwestern English, Surgery, THIS IS A DING DONG PODCAST, Telepathy, The Ecstasies and Miseries of Translation, This is The Opposite of That, Ufdapicked, You Know Those Fics Where Spock Says T'hy'la And Kirk Has to Figure Out What it Means?, minor character injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:28:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25100908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesentimentalist/pseuds/thesentimentalist
Summary: “Ope, I’m just going to sneak right past ya.” Captain Kirk said.His hand burned the skin it touched, sending a shock of psychic feedback shooting up Spock’s spine. He felt Kirk’s concentration on the upcoming missions–information on security, speculating on the outcome, worrying about details. He was so focused he barely noticed the gesture, a conditioned response buried so deeply in his subconscious that he didn’t even notice making it.Kirk, midwestern boy that he is, says "ope' and touches Spock's shoulder when he has to pass him. Spock is confused and . . . maybe kinda into it? He goes on a quest to discover what this mysterious "ope" word means.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Series: Summer of Stupid 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867057
Comments: 25
Kudos: 258





	Knee High by the Fourth of July

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThisAintBC](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisAintBC/gifts).



> Right now this is all I have to give.
> 
> There's a post somewhere that inspired this, but I can find it. Thanks to @ThisAintBC for ufdapicking!

Spock stood in the narrow service corridor, listening to an engineer explain a fascinating engine malfunction that may or may not have been related to the planet they were in orbit around, when Mr. Scott shot past with The Captain close on his heels.  
The Captain brushed against Spock as he passed.  
It was slight–the barest brush of shoulder against shoulder, but it felt like a static shock.  
“Ope, sorry Mr. Spock.” he said.  
And then he hurried off.  
Spock thought about the possible meaning of this expression and behavior, but about 30 seconds later, an explosion rocked the ship, and he forgot all about it in the chaos.  
. . .  
The second time it happened, he was crowded into the conference room with the captain and several other officers, discussing potential security risks at an upcoming diplomatic event. Uhura came over the comm and asked Captain Kirk to come to the bridge. He wormed his way through the officers and past Spock, brushing a hand against his shoulder,  
“Ope, I’m just going to sneak right past ya.” Captain Kirk said.  
His hand burned the skin it touched, sending a shock of psychic feedback shooting up Spock’s spine. He felt Kirk’s concentration on the upcoming missions–information on security, speculating on the outcome, worrying about details. He was so focused he barely noticed the gesture, a conditioned response buried so deeply in his subconscious that he didn’t even notice making it.  
Later, in the mess hall, Spock approached Lt. Uhura.  
“Lieutenant, may I ask you a linguistics question?” he asked.  
“Sure,” said Uhura, gesturing to the seat across the table, “What can I help you with?”  
“I heard someone say a word that the universal translator did not pick up, I was wondering if you knew what it meant. I believe it is Terran in origin.”  
“Oh, sure thing. What’s the word?”  
Spock paused for a moment, trying to work out how best to form the syllables. Finally, he said:  
“I believe it is pronounced ‘ope.’”  
“How’s that spelled?” Uhura asked, pulling out a data pad.  
“I am unsure, I heard it spoken aloud.”  
“Alright,” Uhura said, “Do you know the part of speech?”  
“It sounded like an interjection.” he said.  
“I’ll see what I can do.”  
. . .  
A few days later, Spock bumped into Lt. Uhura on his way to the bridge for his shift.  
“Mr. Spock, I have an update for you on ‘ope.’” she said.  
“Excellent, what do you have to report?”  
“Not much I’m afraid,” she said, “Now, it is more difficult without the language of origin or spelling. I searched using sounds and syllables. I couldn’t find it in The Standard Dictionary of Earth Languages. If you’d like, I can try searching more specifically by language. It’s possible it’s an archaic or uncommon word.”  
“Thank you Lieutenant, but that will not be necessary. It isn’t a matter of great importance, I was merely curious.”  
“Vulcans feel curiosity?” she asked teasingly.  
“Of course. To be curious is to live, Lieutenant.”  
Uhura smiled.  
“Have a good shift!” she said.  
“Likewise.”  
. . .  
The third time, he was showing Kirk and Dr. McCoy a plant specimen with interesting medical properties. When he was done, Captain Kirk said,  
“I’ve got to get back to the bridge, Sulu wants to show me something.”  
He bumped into Spock on his way out from behind the desk,  
“Ope, sorry Mr. Spock.” he said, and walked out without another word.  
Spock stared after him for a long time.  
Dr. McCoy cleared his throat.  
Spock turned towards him.  
“Dr. McCoy, might I ask you a question?”  
Dr. McCoy raised his eyebrows.  
“Shoot.”  
“I have noticed that when the Captain bumps into someone, or needs to pass by them, he will put his hand on their shoulder, and say ‘ope.’ Why does he do this? What does ‘ope’ mean?”  
Dr. McCoy smiled.  
“Oh! That’s an old custom from our country, or the part of the country Jim is from anyway. People say it to apologize when they’ve bumped into someone, or let them know they’re going to pass them. Hell, I’ve seen him say it when he bumps into chairs!” he said, and chuckled, “Damndest thing.”  
“And the shoulder touching?”  
“Partly to let the other person know you’re there, and partly as an excuse to touch. I can’t overstate how important touch is to human health.” he said, shaking his head.  
“Do you care to elucidate?”  
“Humans need to touch other humans in order to be healthy. There was a time in the 20th century when orphans so exceeded caretakers in some places that the children were barely touched. And without the touch of other people, they developed severe psychological problems. Touching reduces stress hormones, heart rate, and blood pressure. It releases the neurochemicals humans need to form relationships and feel happy. We are social animals–we need touch to live.”  
Spock stood there, digesting this information for a moment. Then Bones said,  
“Now that being said, I know Vulcans are touch telepaths. If he’s making you uncomfortable, you tell him, and he’ll stop.”  
“That will not be necessary.” said Spock, “As you say, it is important for humans to touch their fellows. This does not disturb me. Since it is so important for humans, it is logical.”  
Dr. McCoy did his best to suppress a smile, which was not very good. He passed his hand over his mouth and found an excuse to turn away.  
“I hope I answered your question.” he said.  
“Yes, thank you Doctor.”  
“Any time, Spock.”  
. . .  
The mission had gone badly, even by Enterprise missions standards. Several people had been killed by the large and horrifying native fauna. One of the security officers was still fighting for her life in the sick bay. She had been holding her insides inside when they brought her aboard. Nurse Rand and Nurse Chapel had rushed her off to the sick bay where Dr. McCoy was waiting to start surgery.  
Spock was supervising the bridge at the time. When Uhura told him everyone was back aboard, he ordered the people on the mission to take the rest of the day off. His shift ended a few hours later. He went down to the sickbay to see how things were progressing.  
He should have been used to human emotional responses by now, and yet, he was still surprised to see the waiting area packed with people, so many that they were spilling out into the hallway. At the center of the room, two of the woman’s crewmates–a human man and a tellarite woman– were performing a ritual to ask the woman’s gods to heal her. People gathered around them, watching anxiously. Many of them had been on the mission, and judging by the state of their uniforms, they had come straight to sickbay from the transporter room. 

As he looked around, he spotted Jim sitting unobtrusively at the edge of the crowd. No one gave him a second glance in his civilian clothes. 

Losing people was a part of commanding, a part that Jim was all too accustomed to. You learned to deal with it. Some prayed, some mediated, and some drank themselves into an early grave. Jim favored sparring, which was effective most days, but not today. Perhaps it was the especially gruesome violence. Perhaps the hope that she might live was too much to bear. Perhaps it was the cold light of another day. 

He walked up behind him. 

“Captain.” He said, softly.

Jim started and turned halfway around to look at him. 

“Spock.” he said. 

“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Spock asked.

“Couldn’t.” he said, and turned forward again. 

Spock reached out, hesitated, and clasped Jim’s shoulder. He felt the heat of his skin bleeding through the cloth. Then he felt surprise, shock, utter incomprehension so strong he almost pulled his hand away. But a melting softness, a gratitude, a heartfelt relief followed so quickly on it’s heels that he squeezed in what he hoped was a comforting manner. Like his mother used to do.

“I believe you would say ‘ope,’ Jim.” Spock said. 

Jim raised his hand and touched his. 

It was like being struck by lightning. 

“Thank you, Spock.”


End file.
